He lay on his stomach on the floor at her feet. “Whenever you and I have a conversation I do all the talking, don’t I?” she said. The lion remained silent. “I never let you say a single word,” Ellen said. The lion did not say a word. “The trouble with me is I talk too much,” Ellen continued. “I haven’t been very polite, I guess. I apologize.” “Oh, that’s all right, Ellen,” the lion said. Ellen sprang to her feet and jumped up and down in delight. “You talked!” she cried. “You said something!” “It wasn’t anything that important,” said the lion. “And watch where you’re jumping.” “It was the way you said it,” said Ellen, sitting down again. “You have such a funny deep voice!” “I think my voice sounds remarkably like yours,” the lion said. “No, it sounds very different,” Ellen told him, speaking with her mouth pulled down at the corners and her chin pressed against her chest to lower her voice. “This is how you talk.” “I don’t make a face like that,”
